Fourth Sunday of Lent. C - Sunday, March 27, 2022
(EPISODE: 357)
Readings for Fourth Sunday of Lent. C
FIRST READING: Josh 5:9a, 10-12
Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7. "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord"
SECOND READING: 2 Cor 5:17-21
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 15:18). Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ. I will rise and go to my Father and tell him. Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
GOSPEL: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Item ID: 1662774463 - Vienna, Austria. 2019/10/23. "The Return of the Prodigal Son" (1773) by Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (1708-1787). Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) in Vienna, Austria. Contributor: Adam Jan Figel
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for the Fourth Sunday of Lent. C - Sunday, March 27, 2022 by clicking this link here:
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/FN5c6ECNQMURsi6j7
(EPISODE: 357)
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* (Fr Paul Kelly)
"He was Lost and is found!"
As usual, the Pharisees and the scribes are on the lookout. They condemn the welcome that Jesus extends to those considered as public sinners, people who, for that reason, are on the edges of society and despised by them (Lk 15:1).
This prompts our Lord to tell them a story about what God is really like. The parable of the Prodigal Son would have to be one of the best stories of all time. The fact that Jesus, (God made flesh, tells this story to show us how the Heavenly Father thinks and relates to us, even when we have done wrong, is truly amazing.
Of all the images Jesus could have used, the one he persistently uses is that of an unconditionally loving parent.. a doting Father, no less.
"Forgiveness comes from the welcoming person rather than from the repenting sinner. Forgiving is giving life."*
"Failing to see the gratuitousness of love is failing to understand the gospel. - (the free and overflowing generosity of love, is given, not earned or deserved) - By converting the gospel into a mere set of obligations, external rules or a guarantee of authorities without moral worth, we make a joke or a cartoon out of Christ's divine love.*
The reason Jesus told this story… is to appeal to the better judgment of the Pharisees and scribes. The Pharisees and scribes were, at the time of Jesus, known to be experts in the right application of the Law of Moses, and of God's law….. they made themselves out to be the perfect examples of how people should faithfully obey God and be considered at rights with God… but it is quite clear from the prodigal son story, that Jesus is trying to show them that, far from being the perfect model of what a good child of God is like… they were acting more like the older (seemingly loyal son) who, although he had done nothing wrong… was thinking and acting more like an embittered slave in his father's house than a beloved son… and resenting the forgiveness and reform of anyone who fell short… just like a lost son, realising the folly of their ways, would be welcomed back by his loving father… ….
Jesus was trying to get all people to stop acting like dutiful, loveless, resentful and hard-hearted slaves of God.. and take up their rightful place as beloved, unconditionally loved children of God….. They should be sharing in their father's genuine joy and relief in getting back his lost son, they should be of one heart and mind with their beloved father and join the rejoicing when the lost are found and brought back… not whinging and complaining and recommending distance and rejection, and making the whole issue about themselves and how much they have slaved for their master – when all he wanted is for us to love as he does.
Jesus is clearly saying that the self-righteous good guys who have not done anything wrong according to the letter of the law, may just be as bad a sinner or worse than those who had broken God's law and repented…. Because they fail to grasp the very essence of the gospel... (they are strangers to the heart of God's love). They are not living as God's beloved sons and daughters. instead, they act like ill-willed, mean-spirited slaves, who kept God's law only begrudgingly, and for a calculated expectation of reward… and with neither true love of their heavenly father, nor true love of their fellow brother or sister….
Jesus was trying to say to everyone… WAKE UP to yourselves…. If you do everything out of duty, self-righteousness, and judgementalism, and you are not loving, forgiving, gracious and inclusive….. then you are totally on the wrong track .. You have utterly missed the point of the Gospel and misunderstood the very nature of God. Ironically, they are acting as badly as the ones they condemn….
This parable is also wonderful for all who have ever sinned or turned away from God by their actions and attitudes… because Our Lord is imploring us to see ourselves as children of a loving God… who keeps searching for us like a doting father.. and who will happily welcome us back when we turn our faces back to home… not because we deserve it, but because God loves us and wants the best for us… and knows that being part of God's family is God's plan for us and what is best for us…. And he calls upon us to take on this attitude to others .. and see them too as our fellow brothers and sisters… all part of one big family loved and cherished and welcomed by God…..
St Paul sums up our true role in this world…. "…we are ambassadors for Christ as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled to God."
May God help us to be aware that we are loved children of God, not angry slaves but willing coworkers – who delight in sharing in the love and mindset of God, and we are ministers and instruments of God's love and forgiveness in our lives and in our community.
-To listen to the whole Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https:- soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks.
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References:
Homily –Fr Paul W. Kelly
*Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of Luke. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press).
[Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Item ID: 1662774463 - Vienna, Austria. 2019/10/23. "The Return of the Prodigal Son" (1773) by Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (1708-1787). Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) in Vienna, Austria. Contributor: Adam Jan Figel]
Fourth Sunday of Lent. C (Sunday, March 27, 2022) (EPISODE: 357 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{May Our Lord's Fidelity strengthen you.}} welcome everyone, we gather - To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives.
Brothers and sisters, the Lord is full of love and mercy. And so, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us acknowledge our sins.
Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of peace. Lord have mercy// You are Son of God and the Son of Mary. Christ have mercy// You are Word made flesh, the splendour of the Father. Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7. "Tast and see the goodness of the Lord"
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 15:18). Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ. I will rise and go to my Father and tell him. Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
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PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary I
Eucharistic Prayer II
Communion side. pwk: RH
(theme variation: )
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{May God's grace strengthen your love and hope and faith, and may God's love surprise you even in the trials and challenges of the week.}
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
Lenten Hymn: "Have Mercy" inspired by Psalm 50(51). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2020.
Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Sennheiser MK4 Cardioid Condenser; and Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.
Editing equipment: NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor
[ Production - KER - 2022]
May God bless and keep you.
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